Well production equipment



y 91. M. P. LEBOURG 2,842,212

WELL PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT Filed May 31, 1955 INVENTOR.

MAURICE P LEBOURG.

HIS ATTOR NEY.

United States PatentC WELL PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT Maurice P. Lebourg,Houston, Tex., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Schlumberger WellSurveying Corporation, Houston, Tex., a corporation of Texas ApplicationMay 31, 1955, Serial No. 512,108 1 Claim. or. 166-125) For example,packer setting tools have been arranged for electrical initiation of achemical reaction which provides combustion products-for exerting aconsiderable pressure. In this manner, sustained forces of consider-'able magnitude may be developed for actuation of subsurface apparatus.

To obtain the advantages of sustained high actuating forces throughcombustion products requires, however, that the setting tool be providedwith carefully prepared combustible mixtures and igniters and that anumber of such tools be available for attachment to the wire linecorresponding to the'number of successive actuations which may berequired in a given operation. Frequently, the force developed by thecombustion reaction must act in opposition to the high pressures whichare encountered at great depths, whereby the net force available isminimized.

It is an object of the present invention, accordingly, to provide anoperating tool for the actuation of subsurface apparatus which overcomesthe disadvantages of the above-described setting tools.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved toolfor actuating subsurface well apparatus eifectively in the presence ofhigh well fluid pressures.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedoperating tool for applying sustainedhigh actuating forces to subsurfacewell apparatus relying solely upon the pressure of weighting liquid inthe well.

A further object of the invention is to provide an operating tool whichmay be quickly and conveniently recharged at the surface while attachedto a wire line or a cable so as to be capable of developing a highdifferential pressure for the actuation of subsurface well apparatus.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an effectivearrangement for setting packers, bridge plugs or like subsurfaceapparatus without imposing stress upon the production tubing.

These and other objects are attained, in accordance with the presentinvention, by incorporating .a pressure resistant reservoir in anoperating tool for communication with a pressure responsive element insubsurface well apparatus. Communication is effected when a valvedpassage in the tool leading from the reservoir has its outlet broughtinto coupled relationship with the element. The tool carries a sealabout the outlet for.

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engaging the subsurface apparatus to couple the outlet with the element.This seal also prevents the high. pressure of surrounding well liquidsfrom acting upon. the element. With a low pressure fluid such as atmos--pheric air in the reservoir, a change in the pressure acting upontheelement is accomplished by lowering the tool on a cable into coupledrelationship with the subsurface apparatus and opening the valvedpassage from the reservoir. In one application of the'operating tool,the pressure responsive element is a part of asubsurface packer, bridgeplug or like apparatus. Setting of such apparatus is achieved byrelieving only one face of the pressure responsive element from a highliquid pressure to create a pressure differential across the element.

Other objects and advantages will be discerned, and

, the invention more perfectly understood, from the following detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the drawing in which:

The only figure is an elevational view partially in section of anoperating tool constructed in accordance with the invention and disposedin subsurface well apparatus.

In the drawing is shown an operating tool 10 seated in subsurface wellapparatus 11 suspended in a casing 12 which lines a borehole 13. Withinthe casing 12 is a column of weighting liquid 15 such as a drilling mud,

salt water or the like. At the depth of annulus 17 between the wellapparatus 11 and the casing 12, such Weighting liquid 15 will have avery considerable hydrostatic pressure. In one application of theoperating tool 10, the well apparatus 11 is a bridge plug or productionpacker, as illustrated.

To supply a pressure different from this hydrostatic pressure, theoperating tool 10 comprises a cylindrical pressure-resistant housing 20defining a hollow fluid reservoir 21 which is in communication through alongitudinal valve passage 22 with radial passages 23 terminating inside ports 24. Slidably fitted in the valve passage 22 is a cylindricalpiston-like valve 25 having seal rings 26 spaced along its length. Thevalve 25 is shown in its open position which places the radial passages23 in free communication with a low pressure fluid 27, such asatmospheric air, within the reservoir 21. This openposition is securedby energization of a valve motor 28 disposed in a chamber 29 of thehousing 20. Thus, the valve 25 is opened when an energizing them offfrom the valve passage 22.

So that the reservoir 21 may communicate with packer 11, the radialpassages 23 open at the side ports 24 upon an annular recess 32 in thehousing 20 spaced intermediate two annular grooves 33, 34 in which sealrings 35 are received. These seal rings 35 project somewhat outwardlybeyond the profile of the housing 20 for a sealed coupling with thepacker 11.

To position the operating tool 10 relative to the packer 11, the housing20 has longitudinally extending pockets 37 in which selective lockingkeys 38 are retained by flanged elements 39. Springs 40 acting incompression between the pockets 37 and the inner face of the keys 38resiliently urge the latter outwardly of the pockets 37 beyond theprofile of the housing 20. Each of the keys 38 has sloped upwardlyfacing surfaces 41, 42 and a sloped For raising and lowering theoperating tool 10, the-i.

l atented July 8, .1958

However, each key 3. cable 30 may be connected with a winch (not shown)at the'earths surface. "A secure mechanical coupling between the cable30 and the housing 20 is provided by leading the cable 30 through afishing head 46 coupled to the housing 20 by a threaded connection 47,the cable 30 being secured in the fishing headv 46 by a wedge-likeelement 49.'

While. a specific form of subsurface well apparatus is illustrated,namely the packer of Fig. 1, it will be under stood' that this packer ismerely exemplary of subsurface apparatus which may be actuated by theoperating tool 10. Usually, such apparatus is made up in a drill stringor production tubing (not shown) for suspension in the casing 12. Thus,the packer 11 may be made up, for example, at the lower end of a tubingstring to seal off the annulus 17 between such end and the surroundingcasing. As the valve 25 of the operating tool is shown in its openedposition, the packer 11 is correspondingly shown in an intermediatestage of actuation.

The packer 11 comprises a tubular mandrel 50 defining a cylindrical bore51 from which spaced annular locking recesses 52, 53 and 54 arerelieved. These locking recesses conveniently have a configuration andspacing similar to that of the landing nipple described in Miller PatentNo. 2,673,614, issued March 30, 1954, so that other tools (not shown) aswell as the operating tool 10 may 'be landed within the bore 51. Thus,the recesses 52, 5.3 are shaped to receive the keys 38 by acomplementary configuration, with radial shoulder 55 of the recess 53engageable with the stop shoulder 44 of the keys to arrest downwardmovement of the tool 10. In the arrested po sition of the tool 10, itsannulus 32 with which the radial passages 23 communicate is in registrywith radial passages 57 formed in the mandrel 50. As the bore 51 issized to receive the tool cartridge 20 in a sliding fit, the seal. rings35 engage the bore to seal the communication between the side ports 24and the radial passages 57 from the surrounding hydrostatic pressure.

Slidably mounted concentric with the mandrel 50 are a packing element 58composed, for example, of Buna-N synthetic rubber, an upper cone 59, anda lower cone 60. Intermediate the upper cone 59 and the packing element58 is an upper retaining ring 61, while a corresponding lower retainingring 62 is disposed between packing element 58 and the lower cone 60.Secured to the conical periphery of the upper cone for sliding thereoverare upper slips 63 connected by links 64 to an actuating or settingsleeve'65. Similarly, lower slips 66 are slidably secured to the conicalperiphery of the lower cone 60 and placed in articulated connection witha guide ring 67 by means of links 68a.

The sleeve 65 cooperates with a bell-shaped piston 68 extendingoutwardly and upwardly from the mandrel 50 to provide for hydraulicpressure setting of the slips 63, 66. Thus, between the lower face 69 ofthe piston 68 and the confronting face 70 of the sleeve 65 is a lowerchamber 72 communicating through a port 73 in' the sleeve with theannulus 17. An upper chamber 74 is provided between the upper end of thepiston 68 and a reentrant portion 76 of the sleeve 65. This upperchamber 74 is in communication with the annulus 17 through a port 77 inthe re-entrant portion 76. A third chamber 80 is included between thepiston 68 and the outer surface of the mandrel 50. A down-turned portion81 of the sleeve 65 extendingfrom the re-entrant portion 76 is receivedin' this chamber 80 to define a movable upper wall 82 there- Since areduction in pressure in the chamber 80' 4. spring (not shown) may bedisposed in the chamber 74, if desired, to overcome the force of gravityand maintain the setting sleeve 65 in its upper position in the absenceof an hydrostatic unbalance.

Assuming that the packer is originally in a released condition, thesetting tool 10 in an exemplary operation is lowered by means of thecable 30 until the keys 38 engage in and abut with the locking recesses52, 53 formed in the bore 51 of the packer 11. At this instant, thereservoir 21 contains air at atmospheric pressure obtained at thesurface-of the earth by opening and then closing the valve 25. Thus,when the tool 10' is positioned in the packer 11 with its side ports 24registering with the packer passages 57, the closed valve 25 willinhibit the force available by the press'ure' differential untilactuation of the valve motor 28.

Upon actuation of the valve motor 28, the pressure in the chamber isdropped by placing it in communication through passages 57, 23 and 22with the low pressure reservoir 21; That is, the high hydrostaticpressure present in the chamber 80 prior to seating the tool 10 in thebore 51 is dropped substantially to atmospheric pressure. The pressureexerted upwardly upon the down-turned portion 81 of the sleeve 65 isthus diminished. While the upwardly directed pressure acting upon there-entrant portion 76 of the sleeve remains at the value of thehydrostatic pressure, the similar high pressure acting in the chamber 72downwardly against the surface 70 of the sleeve results in a netdownward force on the settling sleeve 65. So long as the operating tool19 remains positioned in the bore 51 with the seal rings 35 excludinghydrostatic pressure from the chamber 80, a net downupper cone 59. Asthe slips 63 approach engagement with the: casing 12, the packingelement 58 is compressed between the cones59, 601 to extend outwardlyinto sealing engagement with the casing. At the same time, the pack ingelement 58 transmits a force between cone 59 and cone 60 tending to:move lower slips 66 outwardly also into engagement with the casing.Ultimately, both the upper and lower slips 63, 66 will securely engagethe casing to retain the packing element 58 in tightly sealed relationwith the. casing. When a time has elapsed suificient for the setting ofthe slips, the valve motor 28 may be de-energized to close valve 25.Thereupon, the tool 10 is withdrawn by pulling. on the cable 30 to camthe keys 38 inwardlyv into a disengaged position relative to the lockingrecesses: 52, 53. If other subsurface apparatus is to be actuated bythe: operating tool 10, the valve motor 28 may be energized. when thetool is again at the surface to restore the reservoir 21 to atmosphericpressure and to permit drainage of any well liquid 15 which may haveentered in the preceding operation. The valve 25 is then closed to placethe tool in readiness for another operation.

Because only the lateral surface of the valve 25 is exposed to thehydrostatic pressure of well fluids while the tool is being lowered withthe valve 25 closed, the valvemotor 28 is not required'to overcome apressure differential in opening the valve. When the valve is openedwith the tool'seated in the bore 51, the annular recess 32 willensure'communication of the passages 57 with the reservoirZl' regardlessof 'the angular orientation of the tool. i

The operating tool 1'0 not'only has utility in' the setting of packersor bridge plugs but may serve to actuate any subsurface w'ell apparatushaving an element responsive to a pressure differential; Variousmodifications in the operating too1'1'0' may,"of course, be made foradaptation tothese vari ous applications and for convenience of design.For example, a valve with a rotary, rather. than a linear movementmight'beemployed to control communi- 5 cation between the pressureresistant reservoir and a suitably positioned port. Rather than fillingthe reservoir with air at atmospheric pressure, a high pressure gas mayinstead be employed, as for the purpose of releasing the packer. Toavoid the necessity of even a single conductor in the cable 30, thevalve motor 28 may have associated with it in the tool 10 a battery orother power supply together with a time delay switch (not shown). Theswitch may then be readied for operation after an interval allowingseating of the tool in the bore of selected subsurface well apparatus.

Other modifications in form and detail may be made within the true scopeof the invention. The invention, therefore, is not to be limited to theillustrative embodiment but is defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

In well production equipment, a packer including a tubular mandrelhaving a bore provided with a locking recess, a packing element carriedby said mandrel, means including slips slidably mounted on said mandrelfor expanding said packing element, a passage extending from said bore,a setting sleeve slidably mounted on said mandrel for moving saidexpanding means including said slips therealong, said sleeve providingone wall of a sealed chamber in communication with said passage andhaving an opposite wall exposed for subjection to well fluid pressure, asetting tool sized to fit in said bore, a low pressure reservoir in saidsetting tool, a passage in said setting tool terminating in a side port,locking means carried by said setting tool for engagement in saidlocking recess for registering said setting tool passage with saidpacker passage, means carried by said setting tool for sealing with saidbore above and below said passages, and electrically operated valvemeans movably mounted in said setting tool passage for selectivelyopening the same to place said reservoir in communication with saidchamber through said passages.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 202,307,171 Tutton Ian. 5, 1943 2,637,400 Brown May 5, 1953 2,673,614Miller Mar. 30, 1954

